John Bapst's students run for change

BANGOR, Maine (NEWS CENTER)-- Students from John Bapst converged on the Bangor Waterfront for the second annual Peace Water and Wisdom race. Students partnered with BARKA, a nonprofit organization, to awareness to the need of sanitary water in other countries. All proceeds benefit villages in Western Africa.

DJ Brooks, one of the student organizers, said the very distance of the race has a meaning, "The five k amount is symbolic for how far an individual has to walk to get five gallons of water."

John Bapst is one of a dozen New England schools that partnered with the BARKA foundation to bring clean water to other countries.

Last year, the race brought out a hundred runners and raised over one thousand dollars. The students hard work paid off and they were able to dig a well for the people of Burkina-Faso.

BARKA Foundation co-founder, Ina Anahata, said the students immediately went to work once they heard about the situation in other countries.

Anahata said, "These kids have decided to do something about it. They are truly global citizens and we are very, very grateful."